Bush funeral

Mike McDonald

PCS Member
ALL: I was hoping to get some feedback from some of you about the Bush Funeral ie; the Funeral Homes involved in DC & Houston, the Hearses used and the (Very Impressive) "4141" Funeral Train. THX-MM
 
There was some discussion in the other Professional Car website facebook.

Unfortunately, what is on facebook today, will not be there tomorrow. What has been posted on these forums , can be recalled by a simple search, something that facebook doesn't offer. Try finding a picture that was posted on facebook last week, vs. finding pictures etc. on these forums. Had the discussion of the JFK Pontiac ambulance have happened on facebook, the resulting discussion of over 500 posts and documenting pictures would be lost to time. These forum are the place that mainstream news people go to when they are looking for additional information on Professional Cars. When discussions are not held here, both the people that are looking for this information can't find it, and our members that are not on facebook also are left out of the discussion, and most importantly, the Professional Car Society doesn't get credit for being the premier collector car club that we are. Members posting on facebook, and not on these forums about news and current events that are happening along with the use of the Professional Cars, we are doing a disservice to these forums, and more importantly, the Society and its members as a whole.
 
I would agree with that. face book is a nice way to keep in touch it saves a phone call but a real long way around to find anything as you need to know who posted and to go to there page to get what the sent . or I need a education in how to use it. being one of the two people in this country with out a smart phone i don't have that instant communication thing going.
 
Ignoring Facebook and the like is good for you. If you love someone, call them or write them a letter.

I have missed out on family get-to-gathers because it was Facebook invitation only. No one sends out hard invitations or calls anymore! Oh well, their loss...
 
Back to the question at hand...

I wasn't involved, as I was in 2006 for Ford's funeral. But the hearses used in Washington were Eagle Eschelon limousine-style hearses, which made for good viewing of the casket. I suspect the funeral home in DC was Gawlers, which does all the Presidential funerals.

In Houston, they used S&S Masterpieces. And Union Pacific 4141 with a nicely done baggage car with plexiglass panels.
 
The 4141 story, including George & Barb taking it for a test ride with George driving.
https://abc13.com/video/embed/?pid=4813438

It is reported the train portion of the funeral was added to the original plan by George after taking 4141 for a joy ride.

Fox still has video up of the train ride with 4141 leading with 9096 in safety pulling 2 power cars the observation/executive car followed by the baggage car that had been fitted with plexiglass so the doors could be locked open. In route footage appears to be from the engineer side forward facing camera on 4141.

Everything yellow is pretty much UP's standard tour train. I believe the family rode the observation/exec car and other guests rode in passenger cars making up the rest of the train.
This appears to be the full train trip.
https://youtu.be/6Ey2Cjh_Vws

Sully seems to have left the funeral detail after one last paying respect to his master at the Capitol dome. He has returned to duty at Bethesda to partner up with another Vet who needs his help.
 

Attachments

  • Sully 1.jpg
    Sully 1.jpg
    13.7 KB · Views: 302
  • Sully 2.jpg
    Sully 2.jpg
    15.8 KB · Views: 304
I don't do Facebook, Twitter or anything else....guess I'm just out of the loop. THX-MM

I have been avoiding the same places myself. I even still own a flip-phone, which I hear bs about, all the time. If that makes me old fashioned, then I guess I am in the same group as you Mike.
 
I like having a phone with a good camera on it. I could care less about anything else. It's just a phone. Unfortunately, I have to carry 2 of the damned things. One for work and a personal phone. I don't want e-mail on my personal phone, I don't want Facebook on my phone..........

I think those Jitterbug phones(that they market to old folks) look to be just the ticket!
 
The report i heard was the funeral was planed down to the menus by him. The family saw fit to fallow his plan. Those of you in the business know how rare that is.
 
For those with an interest, the coach used in Texas was a 2018 S&S Masterpiece - not a 2019 model. The 2019 Masterpiece has full commercial glass all-around and, unlike the wedge-like 2018 Masterpiece seen in Texas, is beautifully styled to incorporate numerous traditional S&S heritage design cues. The car used in Texas was built and delivered earlier this year to the Geo. H. Lewis & Sons - Houston's most prestigious funeral service establishment. As this was the late President's final mode of vehicular transportation and, because it has often been said that "you can't get into heaven unless you go out in an S&S" - we can rest assured that President Bush quickly gained admittance through the "pearly gates" As has been stated earlier, the vehicle used for the Washington D.C. segment was a 2018 Eagle Echelon Limited that is presumably owned by Joseph Gawler’s Sons, LLC - a firm that has had the responsibility for state and Presidential funerals in the nation's capitol for generations.This limousine-style coach made a good impression during these solemn rites and allowed the public a degree of visibility of the President's flag-draped casket throughout the transportation segments of the Washington services.
 
Sorry guys, but the thing in Texas pretending to be a hearse looked like a Ford Aerostar somebody overinflated a offroad tire tube inside of and then painted the mess black. Only a salesman could love that thing, the salesman peddling it.
I'd rather ride off in a pickup truck on a day when it's snowing.
Even my Ford Explorer looks better.

Feel free to fling objects and shoot flames.
 
now it was pointed out to me by another member the eagle had the weather striping commie loose on the back door. the S&S from the back side looks like a kids sponge toy that was carried around at the top by the dog.

but you use what you got and you do it with as much decorum as you can.
 

Attachments

  • bush.JPG
    bush.JPG
    27.9 KB · Views: 167
Did anyone else think the flag looked a little sloppy on the casket?

We always sent our USPS-issued flags to the local dry cleaner to be pressed, before using them on a Veteran's casket. The dry cleaner provided this service as a courtesy for years, but eventually started charging us for it. Just a cost of doing business, but the pressed one looked much classier than a wrinkled one out of the box.
 
License Plate Removal

I believe this has been answered here before but.....the removal of license plates and any funeral home ID placards on any hearses and limos used in Presidential Funerals is done by the USSS? ….. not to trace the vehicle later? THX-MM
 
Back
Top